Desk attachment for chairs.



PATBNTED JUNE 2, 1908.

1?. JAMES. DBSK'ATTAGHMENT FOR cums.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 14.1907.

FRED JAMES, OF MITCHELL, SOUTH DAKOTA.

DESK. ATTACHMENT FOR CHAIRS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 2, 1908.

Application filed December 14, 1907. Serial No. 406,526.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED JAMES, a citizen of the United States, residingat Mitchell, in the county of Dav-ison andState of South Dakota, haveinvented a new and useful Desk Attachment for Chairs, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to desk attachments for chairs and its object isto provide a knockdown device of this character designed to bedetachably connected to the back of the chair and which is also capableof adjustment either into operative or inoperative position whileconnected to a chair.

The device is primarily intended for use in halls or class rooms wheredesks'are not at all times necessary, it being possible therefore tocollapse or knockdown the desk whenever it is not desired to use it.

l/Vith these and other objects in view the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction and combinations of parts which will behereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings is shown the preferred form of theinvention.

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the deviceconnected to a chair. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is aview similar to Fig. 2 and showing the desk collapsed. Fig. 4 is aperspective view of the frame of the desk. Fig. 5 is a sectional viewthrough a portion of one of the telescopic portions showing the lockprovided therefor. Fig. 6 is a detail view of a portion of the lockingdevice and showing the connection between the locks of a brace and aframe member.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, 1 designates atubular yoke-like frame member in the arms 2 of which are slidablymounted extension rods 3 each of which has an eye 1 at its outer enddesigned to pivotally engage the binding screw 5 of a metal clip 6.These clips are so proportioned as to surround the standards a of achair back A. Each rod 3 has a series of recesses or sockets 7 thereinany one of which is designed to be engaged by a finger 8 ex tendingthrough an opening in the tubular member and formed at one end of alever 9. One of these levers is provided for each arm 2 and is pivotallymounted upon a clip 10 fastened to the arm. Guides 11 are arranged uponthe intermediate portion of the member 1 and mounted within them arealining rods 12 one rod being pivotally connected to each lever 9. Theadjoining ends of the rods have links 13 pivotally connected to them atone end while their other ends arepivoted to a grip 14. These links arepreferably crossed as shown in Fig. 4:. Pivotally mounted in each arm 2and close to the intermediate portion of the member 1 is the inturnedend 15 of a tubular brace member 16. Each of these brace members has arod 17 slidably mounted within it and provided with a series of socketsor recesses 18 any one of which is designed to be engaged by a finger 19extending from one end of a lever 20. One of these levers is pivotallymounted upon each tubular member 16 and arms 21 extend from the levers20 and have extensions 22 integral therewith and provided with eyes 23which surround the respective rods 12. Collars 24 are preferably formedupon the rods so as to prevent movement of the eyes longitudinally ofthe rods. Each rod 17 has an eye 25 at its outer end designed topivotally engage a binding screw 26 extending through a clip 27 which isproportioned to engage the lower portions of the standards a. Ifdesired, springs 28 may be interposed between each lever 9 and theadjoining arm 2 so as to hold the fingers 8 normally pressed inwardlyinto engagement with the rods 3. These springs also serve to exert aconstant lateral pressure upon the extensions 22 thereby pressing thefingers 19 of levers 20 normally lnto engagement with the rods 17.

Ears 29 are formed upon the inturned ends 15 of tubular members 16 andare fastened to the lower face of a main desk section 30 which restsupon the tubular member 1. Hingedly connected to the section 30 is aleaf 31 the width of which is slightly less than the distance betweenrods 3. Bolts 32 are slidably mounted within this leaf near the free endthereof and are designed, when projected, to lap the rods 3 and thussupport leaf 31 with its upper surface flush with the correspondingsurface of the section 30. It will of course be understood from theforegoing description that the desk attachment may be fastened to theback of a chair or similar structure simply by binding the clips 6 and27 upon the chair standards a as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and3. After theparts have been thus secured the grip or handle 14 is pushed toward themember 1 so that the links 13 will slide rods 12 longitudinally towardthe arms 2. This will cause all of the levers 9 and 20 to besimultaneously tilted so as to withdraw their fingers fromengagementwith the rods held thereby. It is then possible to slide the arms 2 anydesired distances along rods 3 and to slide the brace members 16 upwarddesired distances upon the rods 17. When the proper adjustment has beensecured in this manner the handle or grip 14 is released and springs 28will therefore throw all of the fingers 8 and 19 simultaneously intoengagement with their respective rods and therefore the frame members 2and 3 and the brace members 16 and 17 will all be locked together. Leaf31 which, when not in use, is folded upon the under surface of section30, can then be swung into position between rods 3 and the bolts 82projected over said rods so as to support the leaf as shown in Fig. 1.To collapse the desk the foregoing operation is reversed. Bolts 32 areretracted and grip 14 pushed upward so as to disengage the lockingfingers from rods 3 and 17. The frame and brace section can thentelescope as indicated in Fig. 3 and the desk will therefore occupy theminimum amount of space.

hat is claimed is:

1. A desk attachment comprising a telescopic frame, telescopic bracespivotally connected' thereto, a desk section carried by the frame, andmeans for pivotally connecting the frame and brace sections to asupporting structure. v

2. A desk attachment comprising a longitudinally adjustable frame,longitudinally adjustable braces pivotally connected thereto, a desksection carried by the frame, means for pivotally connecting the frameand braces to a supporting structure, and means for simultaneouslylocking the frame and braces in, or unlocking them from, adjustedpositions.

3. A desk attachment comprising anextensible frame, extensible bracespivotally connected thereto, a desk section carried by the frame, meansfor detachably and pivotally connecting the frame and braces to asupport, and means for simultaneously locking the frame and braces inextended positions.

4. In a desk attachment the combination with an extensible frame,extensible braces pivotally connected thereto, and means for detachablyand pivotally connecting the frame and braces to a support; of means forlocking the frame and braces in extended positions, a desk sectioncarried by the frame, and a foldable leaf connected to said section.

5. The combination with a desk section; of an extensible frame connectedto said section, extensible braces pivotally connected to the frame,means for pivotally and detachably connecting the frame and braces to asupport, a leaf hingedly connected to the desk section, and meanscarried by the leaf for detachably engaging the frame to support theleaf.

6. The combination withlfia chair an extensible frame pivotallyconnected to the back, extensible braces pivotally connected to thebackarid frame, a desk section carried by the frame, means forsimultaneously looking or unlocking the frame and braces while extendedor retracted.

7. The combination with a tubular frame member, extension membersslidably mounted therein, and separate pivoted means for engaging eachextension member to lock it in fixed relation to the tubular member; oftubular brace members pivotally connected to said tubular frame member,extension members slidably mounted within said tubular brace members,pivoted devices for looking the tubular and extension brace members infixed relation, slidable devices upon the tubular frame member andengaging its pivoted locking devices and the brace member back; of

locking devices, and means for simultaneously actuating said slidabledevices to simultaneously actuate the locking devices.

8. A desk attachment comprising an extensible frame, extensible bracemembers pivotally connected thereto, separate locking devices upon theframe and braces for securing the same in extended or retractedpositions, and means for simultaneously actuating said locking devices.

9. A deskattachment comprising an extensible frame, means for pivotallyconnecting it to the back of a chair, extensible braces pivotallyconnected to the frame, means for pivotally connecting the braces to theback of the chair, and a desk section carried by the frame.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixedmy signature inthe presence of two witnesses.

' FRED JAMES.

Witnesses:

A. E. HrroHcoox, INEZ DUANE.

